I worked with a wonderful gallery owner, a Native American, named Rising Fawn. She was approached by reps
from Thomas Kinkaide's corporation after she made inquiries about becoming an "official" Kinkaide dealer."
You see, the Kinkaide group wouldn't let just anybody sell Thom's artwork. Why? Because it was sort of, well, holy.
At least that's what the rep seemed to think.
Anyway . . .
Rising Fawn had to pass inspection and have her business scrutinized first.
She had to agree to sell at a certain dollar level each month. She was not allowed to frame any of Kinkaid's canvases herself.
She was required to sell ONLY official Kinkaide frames selected by THE MAN himself.
(In an art gallery, about 60% or more of profit comes from custom framing, you see.)
She was required to sell for THE EXACT PRICE selected by the Kinkaide corporation. She was not allowed to discount.
Every buyer of a Kinkaide canvas was to fill out a special form which was to be mailed in to the Kinkaide corporation. (They would use it
to steal the client out from under!)
Blah blah blah and so on and so forth.
THE DEAL WAS DONE.
Why?
The company represented itself as benevolent, gracious, godly, family-oriented and offered the prospect of high-sales for small gallery owners.
Every six months a rep would appear and inspect the gallery and scrutinize the sales receipts like an Inspector General.
Kinkaide's work sold very well because the gallery was in a shopping Mall and foot traffic was high.
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Fast forward . . . (tick tock . . . tick tock)
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When Rising Fawn's Kinkaide sales were at an all time high, guess what happened?
Quite suddenly, an official Thomas Kinkaide art gallery miraculously appeared within 20 feet of Rising Fawn's gallery!
IN DIRECT COMPETITION:
Kinkaide's art was sold AT A DISCOUNT beating Rising Fawn's prices!
When she complained to corporate headquarters, the rep REMINDED HER she could be sued if she was caught DISCOUNTING.
In other words--Thomas Kinkaide cut his franchise contract partners off at the knees.
He did it to his own brother and plenty of others.
Rising Fawn went bankrupt within 5 months because all her money had been tied up with inventory (Kinkaide's higher priced canvases)
which she couldn't get rid of at a price higher than what it was being sold 20 feet away!